Philippine Scientists Develop New Rice Variety That May Help Reduce Rise of Diabetes

|

Scientists in the Philippines have created a new rice grain that could help reduce the growing burden of diabetes.

Worldwide, around 537 million adults are living with diabetes, and according to studies, the number could grow to 783 million by 2045. Type 2 diabetes, the most common form, occurs when the pancreas fails to produce enough of the insulin hormone, leaving too much glucose in the blood, and the cells develop a resistance to insulin.

Nutritional epidemiologist and professor at the University of North Carolina Dr. Lindsey Smith Taillie said, “Global diabetes prevalence is increasing and becoming an increasing cause for concern. It’s been high in high-income countries for several decades now, but increasingly we’re seeing rapid increases in low- and middle-income countries as well.”

According to studies, more than 60% of people with diabetes live in Asia. The Asia-Pacific region is also where more than 90% of rice is produced and consumed. Research has shown a link between the substantial consumption of rice and non-communicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Researchers at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines have been working with the University of California, the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology in Germany, and Bulgaria’s Center of Plant Systems Biology have made a breakthrough with their studies.

Using the IRRI’s extensive rice gene bank, researchers screened 380 seed samples over 10 years to identify the genes and markers with a lower glycemic index and higher protein content. They combined them into “inbred lines,” creating a ‘diabetes-friendly’ healthier rice option.

Dr. Nese Sreenivasulu, the principal scientist at the IRRI’s grain quality and nutrition center, said: “We thought that if we could come up with a diet with low glycaemic index properties [and] that could be considered healthier, not only to those subjects who are diabetic and pre-diabetic … then it could be a very good intervention to counter growing incidences [of diabetes].” He further added, “This could have a big impact in Asia, as well as in Africa, among the rice-consuming countries.”

The rice has yet to be grown outside IRRI’s laboratories but according to Dr. Sreenivasalu, the plan was to start growing the new varieties in Indi and the Philippines as part of the IRRI’s remit to combat poverty and hunger in countries where rice is the staple food.

However, Taillie warned that rather than rice, sugary drinks, and ultra-processed foods were the real diabetes risks. “By and large, rice is not the leading cause for concern when we think about issues like type 2 diabetes. For people who are already living with diabetes and want to be able to incorporate rice into their diet, and they’re conscientious about cutting carbohydrates, perhaps that might be relevant, but it’s certainly not going to help us solve the global type 2 diabetes crisis,” she said.

Taillie believes countries should focus on imposing taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages and ultra-processed foods and enforcing better warning labels on packaging. “The call to action is that we need a comprehensive set of policies that ensures all people have access to healthy foods and that we’re reducing the relentless marketing and promotion and sales of sugar.”